(José Niño, Headline USA) Governor Greg Abbott has ordered an immediate halt on new H-1B visa requests by Texas state agencies and public universities, asserting the federal program has been exploited to replace American workers.
Texas Scorecard reports that Abbott issued a directive Monday declaring that “the economy of Texas should work for the benefit of Texas workers and Texas employers.” He emphasized that the state government must “lead by example” and prioritize Texans for taxpayer-funded positions.
The order prohibits any state agency controlled by gubernatorial appointees or public higher education institutions from initiating new H-1B visa petitions without written authorization from the Texas Workforce Commission. This freeze remains active through May 31, 2027, when the next regular legislative session concludes.
H-1B visas allow American employers to recruit foreign workers for specialty occupations typically requiring bachelor’s degrees in fields including technology, engineering, science, and mathematics. Program advocates claim it addresses domestic skill shortages, though critics contend it replaces American workers while fueling mass migration.
Abbott condemned what he characterized as systematic exploitation of the federal program, which was “created to supplement the United States’ workforce—not to replace it.”
“Evidence suggests that bad actors have exploited this program by failing to make good-faith efforts to recruit qualified U.S. workers before seeking to use foreign labor,” Abbott stated. “In the most egregious schemes, employers have even fired American workers and replaced them with H-1B employees, often at lower wages.”
Rather than attracting exceptional global talent for genuinely specialized positions, Abbott argued the program “has too often been used to fill jobs that otherwise could—and should—have been filled by Texans.”
Last year, Texas approved 7,212 new H-1B visas, ranking second nationally behind California’s 13,000 approvals.
Abbott’s directive mirrors concerns President Donald Trump raised last September, accusing employers of systematic exploitation to replace Americans with cheaper foreign workers. Trump noted foreign STEM workers doubled between 2000 and 2019, while overall STEM employment growth lagged significantly. He cited information technology specifically, where H-1B workers increased from 32 percent in 2003 to over 65 percent recently, even as companies terminated thousands of American employees.
Abbott additionally mandated affected agencies and universities submit comprehensive reports to the Texas Workforce Commission by March 27, 2026, documenting all 2025 H-1B petitions, current sponsorships, worker origins, classifications, visa expirations, and proof that qualified Texas residents received fair application opportunities.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
